Dembele has also seen his profile continue to rise after securing a high-profile transfer to Germany.

Benzema remains a regular source of goals at La Liga giants Madrid, but has faced criticism at times this season.

He was also among the contenders for the 2016 prize, along with Dimitri Payet and Paul Pogba.

That pair have dropped out of reckoning this year, with Payet now back at Marseille after forcing through a transfer from West Ham and Pogba yet to justify the record-breaking £89 million fee which took him from Juventus to Manchester United.